| Authored by Douglas Benton - 21st May, 2007 - 7:12 pm
 The Major League Baseball Draft is fast approaching on June 7 and 8. While most of these players won’t grace a MLB roster in 2007, this is still the time where teams reload and rebuild with an eye for the future.
The Devil Rays, who picked Delmon Young with the first overall selection in 2003, and once again will be drafting first.
1. Tampa Bay Devil Rays: David Price, LHP, Vanderbilt
The 6-foot-5, 215 pound Price is 10-0 with a 2.76 ERA and has tallied 164 strikeouts to 29 walks in just 114 innings. He is considered to be the top player available and while the Devil Rays are also considering Matt Wieters and Josh Vitters, he is a near lock to be the top overall selection.
2. Kansas City Royals: Rick Porcello, RHP, Seton Hall Prep (New Jersey)
Porcello, 6-foot-5, has pitched a perfect game in the Greater Newark Tournament semifinals for Seton Hall Prep, which is considered by many to be one of the top high school teams in the country.
3. Chicago Cubs: Matt Wieters, C, Georgia Tech
The 6-foot-5 junior, who was named first-team All-American by Baseball America last season and was named to the All-ACC this year, is batting .366 with 10 home runs and 56 RBI in 54 games this season.
4. Pittsburgh Pirates: Josh Vitters, 3B, Cypress HS (California)
The California product and Arizona State signee has shown off his talents in Area Code and high school action since last summer and is likely to be the top high school player selected.
5. Baltimore Orioles: Ross Detwiler, LHP, Missouri State
The 6-foot-4, 175 pound junior is 4-5 with a 2.09 ERA and opposing hitters are only hitting .192 against him.
6. Washington Nationals: Andrew Brackman, RHP, North Carolina State
The 6-foot-10 junior has the physical tools to be great, but his 5-4 record with a 3.81 ERA has left more to be desired.
7. Milwaukee Brewers: Max Scherzer, RHP, Fort Worth Cats
The former Missouri ace was 7-3 with a 2.25 ERA and opponents hit only .208 against him in 2006. He was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks last season, but didn’t sign.
8. Colorado Rockies: Michael Main, RHP, Deland HS (Florida)
Main was named to the Louisville Slugger preseason first-team All-American squad as a multi-position player.
9. Arizona Diamondbacks: Daniel Moskos, LHP, Clemson
Moskos has had a down year with a 3-5 record and a 3.07 ERA. He also has 68 strikeouts to 31 walks in 58.2 innings as he was named to the second-team All-ACC.
10. San Francisco Giants: Beau Mills, 1B/3B, Lewis-Clark State (Idaho)
Mills has led Lewis-Clark State in the NAIA with a .459 average with 33 home runs and 113 in just 57 games this season.
11. Seattle Mariners: Mike Moustakas, 3B, Chatsworth HS (California)
Moustakas, who has signed with USC, has played shortstop and pitched this year, but is being projected as a third baseman at the major league level.
12. Florida Marlins: Jarrod Parker, RHP, Norwell HS (Indiana)
The Georgia Tech signee is considered by some to be the best high school pitcher in the country as he pitched a seven inning complete game, giving up only three hits, no runs and striking out nine batters in his last start.
13. Cleveland Indians: Phillippe Aumont, RHP, Ecole Du Versant Gatineau, Quebec
The 6-foot-8 Canadian right-hander is an enigma to project where he will go, but the talent is definitely there.
14. Atlanta Braves: Jason Heyward, OF, Henry Co. HS (Georgia)
The Georgia product is signed with UCLA, but at 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, Heyward shouldn’t be expected to live in Westwood in the fall.
15. Cincinnati Reds: Kevin Ahrens, 3B, Memorial HS (Texas)
The 6-foot-2 third baseman is signed with Texas A&M and from some media reports, is locked into the Reds at No. 15.
16. Toronto Blue Jays: Madison Bumgarner, LHP, South Caldwell HS (N.C)
A North Carolina commit, Bumgarner has similar size to Price from the left side of the mound and would be a steal for Toronto here at pick 16.
17. Texas Rangers: Julio Borbon, OF, Tennessee
Borbon is batting .346 with three home runs and 28 RBI in 37 games. He has also only struck out 18 times this year for the Vols.
18. St. Louis Cardinals: Jack McGeary, LHP, Roxbury Latin HS (Massachusetts)
McGeary is signed with Stanford and has said it will come down to money for him to sign a pro deal now. He might be the most complete high school pitcher in the country this year.
19. Philadelphia Phillies: Matt Dominguez, 3B, Chatsworth HS (California)
He is signed with Cal State Fullerton, but questions are arising as to how good he is, considering he isn’t even the best player on his high school team.
20. Los Angeles Dodgers: Josh Smoker, RHP, Calhoun HS (Georgia)
He has a verbal commit to Clemson, but Smoker is considered to be one of the top high school pitchers in the country by Baseball America and from the left side, should hear his name called in the first round.
21. Toronto Blue Jays: Matt LaPorta, 1B, Florida
LaPorta is batting .419 with 19 home runs and a .838 slugging percentage in 49 games for the Gators. He is also a finalist for the Dick Howser Trophy for the top player in college baseball.
22. San Francisco Giants: Kyle Russell, OF, Texas
Russell is leading the Longhorns at the plate with a .348 average and 27 home runs, crushing the single season school record for home runs, and has also added 58 RBI.
23. San Diego Padres: Blake Beavan, RHP, Irving HS (Texas)
The 6-foot-7 right-handed pitcher has dominated in his high school action and is signed to play at Oklahoma if the draft doesn’t work out this year.
24. Texas Rangers: Brett Cecil, LHP, Maryland
Cecil has been the closer for the Terps this season and has compiled a 5-6 record with a 3.32 ERA and eight saves.
25. Chicago White Sox: Michael Burgess, OF, Hillsborough HS (Florida)
Burgess was named to the first-team preseason Louisville Slugger All-American team as an outfielder and is signed to play at Arizona State.
26. Oakland A’s: Matt Harvey, RHP, Fitch HS (Connecticut)
Another North Carolina pitching commit, Harvey also was named to the Louisville Slugger first team preseason All-American squad.
27. Detroit Tigers: Ryan Dent, 2B, Wilson HS (California)
Dent is a bit of a reach here, but the UCLA signee has a lot of upside and is considered to be one of the better middle infielders in the draft.
28. Minnesota Twins: Kentrail Davis, OF, Theodore HS (Alabama)
The Aflac All-American doesn’t have great height at 5-foot-9, but has all of the physical tools to play any of the outfield positions, according to the Perfect Game USA website.
29. San Francisco Giants: Drew Cumberland, SS, Pace HS (Florida)
Cumberland is one of my favorite players in this draft and is hitting .449 with 15 stolen bases for Pace High School this season.
30. New York Yankees: Casey Weathers, RHP, Vanderbilt
Weathers is a proven closer at the college level with seven saves and a 2.21 ERA this season. He also has 59 strikeouts to just 18 walks in 40.2 innings of work.
Douglas Benton can be reached at Douglas.Benton@RealGM.com |
